When a student signs his/her Housing Contract, he/she agrees to abide by the terms and conditions in the contract, as well as to the community standards established in the residence areas. Office of Residence Life staff will work with students at the beginning of the semester and throughout the year to develop and maintain a positive living and learning community within each floor, suite and residence hall. However, it is each resident's commitment to being part of such a community that makes the critical difference. The Resident Bill of Rights articulates some basic components of good relations between roommates, suitemates and hall mates. It is a good idea for roommates to sit down at the beginning of the year and discuss how each would like to deal with issues such as personal property, cleaning responsibilities, study time, visits by friends, etc. Most of these points apply not only to roommates, but also to the rights and prerogatives of all residents on one's floor, suite or in one's apartment.

Resident Bill of Rights

1. The right to read and study in one's room free from undue interference, unreasonable noise and other distractions which inhibit the exercise of this right.

2. The right to sleep without undue disturbance from noise, guests of roommates, etc.

3. The right to expect that a roommate will respect one's personal belongings.

4. The right to a clean environment in which to live.

5. The right to free access to one's room and facilities without pressure from a roommate/suitemate.

6. The right to personal privacy.

7. The right to host a guest with the expectation that guest is to respect rights of the host's roommate/suitemates and other residents.

8. The right to redress of grievances. Residence Life staff members are available for assistance in conflict resolution.

9. The right to be free from intimidation, physical and/or emotional harm.

10. The right to expect reasonable cooperation in the use of shared equipment and appliances (telephone, refrigerator, etc.).

Upon arrival and throughout the academic year, residents get together as a floor, suite and/or hall to learn about the residence hall and residence life policies and procedures and to discuss any related issues. The Policies and Procedures sections of this site and the Guide to Residence Living include both the Code of Student Conduct and detailed information about residence hall policies and procedures. All students are expected to be familiar and comply with all University policies and procedures.

In late 2011, when news of the child abuse scandal at Penn State first broke, Robert Morris University formed the Risk, Culture and Policy Task Force. This cross-functional group has worked since that time to assess our current policies, procedures, and the university culture. Many positive changes have resulted from this group, including:

Enhanced governance practices with the RMU Board of Trustees

Establishment of the RMU Public Safety Notification and signage across campus

Enhanced signage urging RMU constituents to “Do the Right Thing”

Broadened reporting capability for the Ethics Point reporting hotline

Numerous revisions to departmental and university policies/procedures, including interim procedures for events involving minors

Additional security cameras installed and other security measures added on campus and at the Island Sports Center

However, one of the greatest gaps that surfaced from the group’s work was the need for a university-wide policy that would provide overarching guidance in all interactions with minors. I am pleased to report that we are now prepared to officially adopt the RMU Protection of Minors Policy.

This policy applies to all individuals who interact with minors in the course of university operations, including students, vendors, and contractors. It provides guidelines and standards as to how one is behave and interact with minors. In addition, it sets forth requirements for registration of events with minors and clearance and other requirements for those who participate in these events.